


We Were Ships in The Night

by purplemoonj



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Banter, Cuddling & Snuggling, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Happy Ending, Healing Magic, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Insecurity, Inspired by Music, Inspired by..., Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Magic, Making Out, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Na Jaemin is a Good Friend, Nausea, Neck Kissing, Overthinking, Pet Names, Self-Doubt, Song Lyrics, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Time Skips, connection to the sun/moon, donghyuck has hiccups, donghyuck hurts but he's strong, friendship!!!!!!, moon magic, renjun!!!! magic, sweet night by bts V
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:40:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25828330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplemoonj/pseuds/purplemoonj
Summary: Lee Donghyuck lives a normal life of a young adult, he shares a flat with his best friend, enjoys sunbathing and hanging out with his friends, tries to avoid love, oh and of course, like any other uni student he shares a cosmic connection to the skies and can wield healing magic. With magic running through his veins, and not worried about finding his soulmate he tries to make it through the school year without ripping his head off.In short: Donghyuck is a sun harvester (eg: a sunnie) and oh god why is his life so angsty.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 12
Kudos: 64





	We Were Ships in The Night

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired to write while reading the lyrics of [Sweet Night](https://open.spotify.com/track/39EXZNMxb4RBHlRjnRaOKp) by BTS V, but as any work by me the idea shifts all the way through the writing so in the end it's not quite how i first thought it would be but!!! I'm happy with it.
> 
> ++ I challenged myself to write this in 2-3 days and I'm very happy how I did that hehe
> 
> The title relates to Sweet Night lyrics (because that's what I named the doc before writing anything), and the original concept of sun/moon harvesters (eg: sunnie/moonies - someone who can channel sun/moon magic and use it for healing) belongs to my friend Sage, who wanted me to do something with it so I did (developed it a little) and added angst and fluff to it <3.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading!! Please let me know what you think !! I love to read through the comments (and even the bookmark notes hehe)

In a world where everything is far too different from the usual fairytale stories filled with magic and red velvet connecting one soul to another, lives a boy and he wonders, he wonders _how,_ this strange and dull world that looks nothing like the bright coloured children books, where princes and princesses always find their Happy Ever Afters, could still possess **magic**. 

The world Donghyuck knows is advanced in technology, medicine and flying cars were just introduced to the public yet the most interesting thing is Humans themselves. Humanity has changed and evolved at some point in history that, as expected, people are _different_ now. 

People can heal each other if the emotional bond is strong enough; they can form the most special of bonds if there’s utter trust, honesty and love between them. Their biggest connection, however, is in the skies. 

Due to the fact that Earth’s skies are mostly ruled by the Sun and the Moon, those are the primary sources of power (mainly of healing kind) that humanity turned to. The change happened long before Donghyuck’s great grandparents were born so there’s little to no one who actually knows what changed and why humans suddenly turned to celestial magic or how they suddenly realised they could collect energy from the celestial bodies, but now, those are their vital energies.

No one knows how the connection is forged or why some bodies connect easier to the moon while others are ruled by the sun, but studies show that for a hundred percent of success in healing (in case of accident, or just any kind of recovery) to work both individuals would need to fall under the same celestial deity, either both sun or both moon. However more often than not humans, always so keen to hurt themselves, will spend their life looking for Love rather than Healing, even when love brings great pain. They’ll look for their own “odd one”, their soulmate, their other half, someone who’s definitely different, someone who certainly can’t relieve them of pain yet make them feel whole. 

It’s tragic, dramatic and it reminds Donghyuck of an ancient romance he was forced to study in school, he hated every second of it. And just like that he swore he would _not_ look for his soulmate. He wants nothing with them. He already has too much on his plate just by having to deal with cloudy days where he feels like he’s on low battery for days on end; days where the sun shines only behind the layers and layers of cotton-like clouds and is unable to give him enough warmth.

He’s more fond of the scorching hot summer days where the sun shines for hours and hours and makes him feel jubilant like he needs no one but his fellow _sunnie_ friends laying on the grass soaked in sunlight by his side. That's when he feels happiest. Why would he make his life miserable looking for a _moonie_? Sounds nonsensical. He’ll pass. He’s good as he is.

Or at least that’s what he thinks. Donghyuck thinks he can cheat fate, or the Universe’s wishes but every step he takes will later on, one way or another, lead to what was fated to be.

He will, however, deal with that when it happens or when it doesn’t and he feels the creeping loneliness crawl into his heart... he’ll deal with that too. 

For now he will soak in his friends’ comforting presence and ignore the way his heart longs for someone else’s company. That sounds like a plan. 

“Tell me, how, did you sprain your ankle again?” Donghyuck asks Zhong Chenle as he holds the boy’s foot on his lap.

The two friends lay on the grass of their campus, the sun shines brightly above them and Donghyuck works on relieving Chenle from his pain. 

“Hey. Not my brightest moment.”

“Please tell me you were not following that moon-kin boy again. He’s—”

“Hey. Watch how you finish that sentence.” Chenle points a finger at Donghyuck who raises his eyebrow teasingly. “I mean it.” Chenle adds.

“You’re only going to keep hurting yourself…” Donghyuck says, dismissing it. “And look at You. What the hell is that amusing smile? You hurt yourself following around someone who’s not worth it.”

Chenle removes his foot from Donghyuck’s hold and hugs both his legs close to his chest. 

“You’re wrong.” Chenle says. “Jisung _is_ worth it.”

“He’s not of our kind.” Donghyuck presses.

“And you’re stupid for ignoring that we’re supposed to find someone who’s different not _equal!_ ”

“So we can keep hurting?” The older asks. “He cannot heal you when you fall again.” Chenle huffs at that.

“He’s not supposed to _heal_ me, Hyuck!” Chenle shouts. “He’s supposed to make me feel warm and comfortable. Make me laugh, make me blush... and make me warm again.” He adds in a smaller voice, almost like he’s talking to himself. 

Donghyuck freezes for a moment, almost feeling touched by his friend’s words.

“And when you’re hurting?” He tries to control his voice. He means no harm, he's only worried. “...And he doesn’t know how to help, how do you think he’s gonna feel?”

“I’m gonna tell him it’s okay.” The black haired boy looks up at the sky and takes a deep breath feeling the energy of the sun fill his entire being. “As long as he’s by my side, I’m gonna be okay.”

Donghyuck groans at that. “Gosh, what am I gonna do with you? You’re far too gone.”

Chenle giggles, his body warm.

☼

Time passes and with that comes Daylight Savings and the sun shines for less hours than usual which specially affects the mood of a certain _sunnie._

Donghyuck sits in the library, the moon rising on the windows behind him and he slightly hates that. “Why do they get so many hours of light now?” He complains, leafing through the pages of his notebook until he reaches his recent notes.

“Do you really want me to reply to that?” Jaemin asks.

“No.” He says with a slight pout. 

They continue their study in silence. Most of the people around them are people of their kin since most _moonies_ are outside bathing in the moonlight. Donghyuck doesn’t like them.

The boy wonders how his friends can even think of dating someone different. Different is good, interesting sometimes, probably fun… his train of thoughts gets interrupted by a little _Oh_ that appears in the back of his head as he thinks _maybe that’s why they do it_ but he shoves it away. How would that even Work?! Different routines. Different lifestyles. No, he doesn’t know if he could ever do it. 

“How do you do it?” He says out loud startling the blue haired boy in front of him. His hair is so faded it might just turn white by next week.

“Do what?” Jaemin asks, completely unaware of what goes inside the other’s head.

“You and Jeno.” 

“Well, he’s sweet.” Jaemin smiles, thinking of his boyfriend who’s enjoying the moonlight outside, or probably just studying in his dorm with his blinds all the way open being caressed by the moonrays.

“He’s a _moonie_.” Hyuck deadpans.

“Yes, Hyuckie. He is.” Jaemin shots back. “Aren’t you a little obsessed with them?” 

“No.” Hyuck says. “Why would I—”

“Which one is it?” Jaemin asks before Donghyuck can finish his sentence.

“Literally, no one.” Donghyuck drops his head, suddenly far more interested in the scribbled text in his notebook.

“Is it Mark? He’s handsome.” Jaemin smirks.

“Ew. No.” Donghyuck says with disgust.

“Alright, Renjun then.” Looking at the other boy’s expression makes Jaemin bark out a laugh “Oh. It _is_ Renjun. That’s good to know.”

Donghyuck mumbles something under his breath, all the spark from earlier gone.

“You’re okay, Donghyuck. It happens.” 

“Don’t pat me in the back, Mister I’m so _in touch_ with my feelings.” Donghyuck shoots back “I want nothing with those. I’ve hurt enough.” 

Jaemin raises his arms in surrender muttering a ‘forget I said anything then’ to the boy.

They fall into silence again and surprisingly enough Donghyuck actually manages to finish a chapter on <the science behind healing magic> and he is certainly left speechless when he learns that in some cases you _can_ heal your partner even if they are of a different kind, it’s rare but it soothes his heart a little bit. 

He won’t let anyone find out though. He’s set on not venturing through those waters. Self survival calls this time so he listens. 

Laughter finds its way to his ears, breaking him out of his thoughts. He finds the source of the laughter as they walk past the library doors. 

Jaemin notices the change in his expression and turns around to face the doors. The tip of his ears burns a faint pink. 

“Here!” He yells to his boyfriend, who smiles and says goodbye to the others. 

Donghyuck likes Jeno, he’s good for Jaemin but it’s not him who caught the boy’s attention. He eyes the boys who walked in with Jeno. 

Huang Renjun, who smiles nicely at Jeno, doesn’t acknowledge Donghyuck at all and grabs hold of the other boy’s hand and of course, Mark Lee who is as handsome as always. 

Mark looks from Jeno who just walked away to Renjun and their intertwined hands. 

Donghyuck can’t hear what he tells Renjun in their hushed whispers but he can see the smile he gives to the smallest boy before he squeezes his hand.

He’s interrupted again, this time by Jeno who is kissing his boyfriend’s head in front of him. Donghyuck presents them with a disgusted look. _Gross_.

“Hi Hyuck,” Jeno says, greeting him.

“Hey.” Hyuck greets him back. 

“Hyuckie is grumpy today.” Jaemin coos as Jeno takes a seat next to him. Donghyuck rolls his eyes as he huffs.

“I get it, daylight savings right?” Jeno said politely, directing his gaze to Donghyuck who holds a green and a pink highlighter in his hands. He was interrupted mid choosing which one to use.

“Yeah.” Donghyuck begins to say before Jaemin intercepts.

“But Hyuckie also has a c—” Jaemin begins but he’s quickly stopped by a kick in the chin from the boy in front of him. “acute fever?” 

“What?” Both boys ask and Jaemin shrugs before turning to the boy next to him.

“How was the moon today?” His smile so full of love it’s sickening.

Jeno smiles back at Jaemin in such a cute way that Donghyuck wishes he could disappear. He feels so out of place he tunes out the conversation in front of him, putting on his earbuds as he tries to finish another chapter.

He gives up shortly into the chapter and excuses himself, saying he has to go home to get some hours of sleep before the sun rises. 

Jaemin waves at him lazily as he plays with Jeno’s hair. Jeno’s head is resting on his shoulder and the boy is barely awake but he too waves Donghyuck goodbye.

☽

Donghyuck wonders why he took such a longer route home, now he’s most likely lost. That’s just great. 

“Hey you.” Someone says scaring Donghyuck out of his body almost like a cartoon character. He’s too tired for this.

Donghyuck finally looks to his side, down a couple of stairs, sitting up and looking at him is no other than Huang Renjun. So it’s true and _moonies_ do stay up all night when the moon hangs completely full in the sky.

Donghyuck looks at him like he’s waiting for him to continue. They barely ever spoke to each other so the younger boy doesn’t know what the other can possibly want from him.

“Come here.” Renjun waves at him. 

Donghyuck tries to look to his sides, in case Renjun is talking to somebody else because otherwise the situation just looks extremely random. He sighs and just walks the short distance to the other boy, standing there awkwardly with his hands fully inside his pockets. 

It looks like Renjun had company but they probably left.

“What’s up?” Donghyuck forces himself to say.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Renjun says, patting down the grass for Donghyuck to sit. The latter stares but gives in. “Hey. I don’t bite.” Renjun adds with a chuckle.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Donghyuck says as he checks the time in his phone. 

At three in the morning Donghyuck is sat under the moon with the boy he was accused to have a crush on. How did that happen? 

“Hey.” Renjun taps his arm. Donghyuck looks at him with a raised eyebrow “What? I saw you looking earlier.” Donghyuck tries to avoid talking by looking up at the sky. “At the library you know.”

“I know…” Donghyuck says, but instead of indulging in Renjun’s little game he asks something back “You do this every night?”

Renjun chuckles. “No, not every night.”

Donghyuck hums. “It’s beautiful actually.” 

“I take that you never hung out with a _moonie…”_ Renjun tries. But Donghyuck gasps before he can continue.

“Your body is sparkling, is that... healthy?” He says but Renjun just laughs.

“It is, we tend to that sometimes— we, moon-kind, that is.” Renjun says with his sweet voice, he chuckles again and raises his sparkly hand to his mouth. 

Donghyuck is mesmerised. Maybe he really does have a crush. 

“You okay?” Renjun asks, the shining of his skin lowering in intensity, his expression shifting to less warmth, more worry.

Donghyuck snaps out of it. 

“I’m okay.” He promises. 

Renjun raises the corner of his lips and Donghyuck feels suddenly warm, even when it’s chilly and he’s tired… he suddenly feels a new kind of warmth in his chest.

The boy almost bathes in the new feeling but next thing he knows Renjun is looking behind him and letting out a breath he was probably holding unconsciously. 

Donghyuck turns around as Mark Lee approaches them with two sparkly beverages. 

_Oh._

Donghyuck has a talent to know when he’s the odd one out, which is ironic because right now he _really_ is _._ A sun-kind like him crashing the moonlight date of two moon-kinds. You’d just expect someone like him to fall into such a situation.

He raises himself to a standing position. 

“I have to go…” He says dusting his hands off in his pants. Renjun looks worried.

“Stay.” The boy pleads

“I really...Really have to go.” He says looking straight at Mark, then turning to meet Renjun eyes he adds “Have fun.” Gives him a little smile and waves both boys goodbye.

He nods at Mark when he walks right past him. But as he moves he notices Mark move in his peripheral vision, he goes to seize his arm but something makes him stop, probably Renjun. In the end Donghyuck is able to escape that situation with ease but not without feeling like he just got his ass kicked.

Reaching the top of the stairs and back on main street Donghyuck falls on the mistake of looking back to the two boys below. Renjun rests his head on Mark’s lap now, snuggling up to his sweater while Mark covers him with his rain jacket, holding onto his hands once he’s done. 

Donghyuck shakes his head and walks home, he shouldn’t have stopped, whatever Renjun wanted from him… it shouldn’t have made him stop. Now his heart aches for no reason. He doesn’t even Like Renjun, besides it looks like he’s taken anyway. Absolutely Great. 

☼ 

Donghyuck doesn’t sleep well that night. Everything hurts and his sun tattoo burns. He feels like crying. 

“Great.” He says as he sits down. “I can get rid of the physical pain but the punchline is that that'll probably only intensify the pang in my heart.” He mutters to himself. “Absolutely fucking great.”

He gets up and opens the windows, blinds all the way up, inviting the sun to shine right into the room. 

He inhales deeply as he stands in it only wearing his pyjamas shorts. He coats his body in the sunlight and tries his best to empty his head. Starting on his thoughts and slowly working his way to tune down anything else that hurts. 

He opens his eyes after a moment and almost feels good. It almost doesn’t hurt. Almost.

Donghyuck looks at his reflection as he washes his face in the bathroom. “Not your best look, Donghyuck...look at those eyebags.” He tells himself.

The boy in the mirror stretches his body and rotates his waist from one side to the other, noticing his sun and moon tattoo disappear and appear in the mirror again. Wait… his _What?!_

Suddenly there’s a frantic knock in the door and Donghyuck barely opens it before he has to sit down. 

“Donghyuck!” Jaemin rushes in. “What’s wrong?” He kneels down next to him on the cold floor of the bathroom.

“He doesn't look well…” Jeno adds, before he receives a look from Jaemin that makes him raise his hands in surrender. “I’ll...I’ll be outside.” He motions outside before he exits and closes the door behind him. 

“What is Jeno doing here?” Donghyuck asks.

“We came home late last night, he wanted to show me the moon and then it was super late so he just stayed over but Hey!” Jaemin pauses, pointing at Donghyuck. “That’s not important. Why did you yell? Are you okay, dude? You almost gave me a heart attack. What’s wrong with you? You’re warm, that's good but why are you so pale?” Jaemin spits question after question and Donghyuck’s brain is spiralling trying to answer all questions at once. 

“I don’t know…” Donghyuck says but before he can say anything else Jaemin is gasping as he looks at his side. “ _Dude_.” 

“My whole body hurts.” 

“Does your shoulder hurt because dude, your soulmate tattoo is complete.” Jaemin says widening his eyes “Wait! Dude...” Jaemin helps Donghyuck back to a sitting position “Stay with me, Hyuck, can you get up?”

“Yeah…” He says, dragging the word a little, “I can.”

“All good. Let’s just go outside.” Jaemin says as he helps the boy out of the room. “Babe, get me that shirt please.” He tells Jeno, who quickly grabs the shirt for Hyuck. 

Jaemin takes Donghyuck outside to the balcony where the sun shines happily without any worries. 

“Donghyuck, try to breathe in and out, just like they told us to do when crises like this happen.” He holds Donghyuck’s hand, helping him breathe more easily and simultaneously seeing the boy gain a little more colour as he bathes in the sun and in the warmth of his friend

When Donghyuck feels a lot better, Jaemin whacks him in the head. “Hey!” 

“What happened last night? You told us you were going home!” Jaemin shouts.

Donghyuck doesn’t say anything as he moves to check his Sun tattoo— no his sun _and_ moon tattoo. “This cannot be happening…” He mutters.

“ _What_ happened?” Jaemin hits his side.

“Can you stop _that_???” Donghyuck yells back at him. “Gosh. I don’t know! I just know this Shouldn’t be Happening!”

“Sounds like you do though…” Jeno says from the inside of the room. Jaemin looks from his boyfriend to Donghyuck with a knowing smile.

“Don’t make me hit you again.” 

“I walked into Renjun...” Jaemin gasps “ _And_ Mark. They’re together. I don’t wanna talk.” 

“They’re probably not together.” Jeno says, both boys looking at him. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they were though…” 

“Which one is it, babe?” 

“Their tattoos are not complete…” Jeno says.

“But Hyuck’s is! Do you think it’s unrequited?” 

Donghyuck groans. “I’m here, you know?!” 

“Sure, Hyuckie we know…” Jaemin says. “Why is he feeling sick so suddenly?” 

“We’ll find out a lot if we see how his buddy is feeling today.”

“Great!” Hyuck shouts as he stands up. “Best idea I’ve heard today I’m gonna get dressed! Bye.”

“Be careful!” Jaemin yells as Donghyuck removes himself from another sticky situation. 

☽

Donghyuck has trouble catching Renjun on campus for weeks on end after the incident and Jeno doesn’t have much input on what’s happening either. The timing is the worst. 

Winter is right around the corner so even if he suddenly was able to catch on with Renjun he wouldn’t be able to see if his tattoo was suddenly a match to his, or if it’s unrequited love like Jaemin thought.

Donghyuck beats himself up, there’s no way he’s allowing himself to go down this road once again. But even against everything his brain is telling him, he does. He keeps longing to see Renjun again, to talk to Renjun again, to learn all of his favourite things, his favourite displays of affection and the way he enjoys best to be loved. 

It all just hurts. 

His heart longs for something he cannot have.

“Are you sure you want to stay here, Hyuck?” Jaemin asks, looking down at the boy sitting in the library looking absolutely miserable. “Wouldn’t you want to come home with us? We’re just gonna eat and then we’ll be there for you…” He offers.

“No offense to Jeno but I don’t want to be comforted by a _moonie_ when my soul is being squeezed by one of his own.”

“Ah, non taken.” Jeno says but it’s Jaemin who gives him a look like he shouldn’t have said that, yet doesn’t add anything else.

“Fine.” Jaemin says, grabbing his hand and squeezing until he watches Donghyuck smile. “Call me if anything happens.” 

“Yes, mom.” Donghyuck says, the ghost of a mischievous smile in his lips.

The couple walks away and Donghyuck feels drained once more. He set himself up for failure, that’s why he didn’t want to fall for anyone again. Not again. Suffering _again_ because the timing is never right. 

Now what?! He fell, slightly at least and for no other than Renjun! Someone who’s always joined at the hip with Mark Lee, who is probably his match and Donghyuck is stuck with unrequited love. 

“Good god, I cannot get his chuckle out of my head.” He mutters to himself as he bangs his head on the table.

And then, there it is.

That laugh. 

Donghyuck raises his head slowly, not sure he’s imagining it or not. But there he is. 

Renjun who stands at the entrance, alone but looking for someone so, just like the normal person Donghyuck lowers his head back to the table, avoiding the other boy’s look. 

“Hey.” He hears next.

“Fuck.” Donghyuck mutters under his breath. 

“Hey, Donghyuck, is that you?” He pokes his arm.

“Renjun? Hey.” Donghyuck says as he sits right back up. “Didn't see you there. What’s up?”

“You look awful, by the way.” 

“Woah, thanks.” Donghyuck says and there it is, that chuckle. 

“Sorry.” Renjun says, sitting down. “I’m working on a project, do you want to do it with me?” 

“What about Mark?” Donghyuck asks, always too worried about the wrong person.

“Ah…We are not doing so well right now. So I’m giving him space.” Renjun says as he looks down to write something. 

Donghyuck hums at it. “Okay, I guess. What can I help you with?” 

He can do this one thing, it’s just one thing. He’s happy to be a friend to Renjun. Getting close to Renjun? He’s okay with it. How bad can that be?

He shouldn’t have said that.

☼ 

“You don’t understand…” Donghyuck says as he groans mid conversation. He’s sitting outside with Chenle again, but the boy is having trouble comprehending what he’s saying.

“I do though.” Chenle laughs. His button up shirt unbuttoned a few buttons down as he bathes in the miraculous winter sunshine. “You played with fire so you’re either gonna get burnt or…”

“I’m not gonna! Because! News flash: I'm being a friend to him. I’m his friend. For all that I know he’s dating Mark.” Donghyuck runs his hand through his hair. “What’s so hard to understand?” 

Chenle lets out a light laugh this time. “That can be true but you can’t simply deny the crush you got on him.” He gives the older boy a look “That you can’t…”

“If I don’t act on it, it cannot hurt me!” Donghyuck says, pulling his hands up and then laying down altogether. 

“I’m afraid you should’ve thought of that weeks ago when you started indulging in conversation with him.” Donghyuck semi closes his eyes as he looks at the dark haired boy sitting next to him holding onto his own legs

“What do you know? You’re a kid.” Donghyuck chooses to use the only weapon he has left.

“Nice try with that one.” Chenle pats his stomach, having the other shove his hand away right after. “You know I’m right. And the more you talk to him the easier it is to fall, or is it not?”

“Fuck off.” Donghyuck says with a crease to his eyebrows, rolling on his own and giving Chenle a view of his back.

“Cheer up dude! You haven’t even seen his soulmark! I’d say your chances are just as good as any.” Donghyuck huffs at that.

“I’ve seen his Mark alright.” Donghyuck says before he gets kicked in the back. “Hey! I’m funny!”

“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just say that.”

But soon enough the two friends are laughing together, bathing under the few sunlight they can harbor during wintertime. It’s somehow blissful and it definitely makes Donghyuck’s chest feel lighter, that’s for sure. 

He knows that when everything falls apart at least he still has his _sunnie_ friends and maybe even Jeno. That’s a relief. 

☼ 

Similarly to the past weeks, Donghyuck has found himself sitting in this secluded corner of the library; writing, studying, chatting, you name it. It’s quite the spot he cannot deny it. 

The desk is situated against the wall in between two shelf corridors, meaning he has easy access to all books he needs for his essays and it’s also quiet; he can even take a nap if Renjun’s a little late to meet with him. 

Yeah, Renjun. He’s been meeting with him more often than not lately, and it’s so wrong of him but he’s not strong enough to stop it. Seeing him everyday does him probably more harm than good, but he’s set on being able to do both: give in into his heart and hang out with him, talk to him, discuss all kinds of stuff with him and even text him every now and then when he cannot sleep; and then also being able to listen to his morals who tell him it’s wrong to hang out with this boy alone when he’s probably not single…

And then there’s also the possibility that he’s read it completely wrong and Renjun has been his soulmate all along, right under his nose, but he thinks that’s very unlikely. Donghyuck may be cute, funny and full of love to give but someone like Renjun would never fall for him, or maybe not before he convinces himself that he no longer feels anything. 

Donghyuck chuckles to himself in the silent library. _That would be hilarious_ , he thinks. Successfully managing to get over his crush and then having his crush confess to him. Amazing. 

Said crush arrives at their weekly destination, dropping his bag loudly on the table.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Renjun says, sitting down and slipping a little in his chair in front of Donghyuck. “I wasn’t feeling well…so Mark had to drag me out of bed.” Renjun adds. 

_He doesn’t even want to hang out with me, I’m a fool_. Donghyuck thinks.

“I hope you’re feeling better now.” Donghyuck says, giving him a small smile. Renjun nods, smiling back.

“Sure am! I’m here.” 

Renjun starts unpacking stuff from his bag, he takes out a big rusty book he probably got from the shelves around them as it looks very old, gold lettering on the cover. It reads something about Light Magic or Soulmates, Donghyuck can’t really tell at first glance; Then Renjun gets his notebook and his lilac moomin pencil case.

_“Why is your pencil case lilac, I thought Moomin was a white hippo?” Donghyuck asks one of the first times he studies with Renjun in the dusty library._

_“First.” Renjun holds his mechanical pencil pointed at Donghyuck. “Moomin is a troll, not a Hippo.”_

_“Okay, besides the point.” Donghyuck chuckles, “Why is he lilac?”_

_“Hair Dye mishap.” Renjun says shortly._

_“How Many hair dye did you use????” Donghyuck exclaims._

_“A lot!” Renjun laughs, sounding melodic and everything. “It was not my fault!” Renjun tries to say in between breaths. “Mark tried to wash it but he only made it worse.....Who washes— oh my god I don’t even know how he Did that.”_

_Renjun’s cheeks are so warm-looking and so pink, Donghyuck feels light headed looking at him. So precious and small, so Cute._

Donghyuck remembers it with a ghost warmth in his stomach. Renjun just sat down with him and his heart is already fluttering. _Pathetic._

“So,” Renjun begins, clapping his hands together “Where were we?” 

Donghyuck looks back a couple of pages in his notebook. “Not all human beings are connected to either the Sun or the Moon, some can forge connections with other celestial bodies, but certainly will feel less open quote healthy close quote as the light from those astros reaches in much less quantities to the Earth.” Donghyuck finishes it and looks at Renjun who nods.

“I got that too.” Renjun says, “I also took note of the more usual examples like,” Renjun looks through his notes “Here: mars, venus and jupiter, just in case they ask for examples.” Donghyuck nods.

“I wrote that…” Donghyuck begins. “Yeah, when people like us are less prone to need supplements and medicine, the people connected to lesser lights will easily feel more ill and need to live more dependent on vitamins to be what we usually consider healthy.” Renjun hums, taking some notes. 

“You’re right.” 

“Am I not always?” Donghyuck says smug.

“Sure…” Renjun replies without looking up from his notebook, “What was your last grade on this subject?” 

“Less than yours.” He replies, fake pouting.

“Exactly.” Renjun chuckles, looking up at Donghyuck with a wicked smile. “I,” He makes an emphasis by pausing “am always right.” 

“Okay okay. Don’t get so cocky.” Donghyuck waves him off, “If your head gets a little bigger I’ll have to leave, there's not enough space for both of us here.” Donghyuck notes something down as Renjun laughs. 

There it is. The warmth in Donghyuck’s stomach, throughout his whole body maybe. They are only lightly teasing each other and it’s nothing special but Donghyuck feels light with Renjun's presence. He feels more than good. 

Oh no, here comes the craving to know so much more about Renjun’s little habits, about his favourite things; to hold him as he reads something off the book that Donghyuck probably is not paying attention to because his heart is jumping out of his chest as he brushes his fingers through the boy’s hair and kisses his scalp. 

It’s thoughts like these than Donghyuck wants to avoid at all costs because it’s innocent as they just creep into his mind and then he shoves them away once he feels guilty, but it keeps on happening and Donghyuck keeps hurting himself as he lives through images that his brain provides like he’s ever going to have a chance with the boy scribbling in front of him, like there’s not a whole other person who loves Renjun and has been there for him more than him. 

“Hey,” Renjun catches his eye, a knot in the middle of his eyebrows that Donghyuck wishes to kiss away so he never has to worry again, “Are you with me?” Renjun asks the boy who’s definitely not following whatever he was saying earlier. 

“Yeah, sorry.” Donghyuck says, stretching his arms up, hiding the fact that he was daydreaming about his friend “Didn’t get much sleep last night, I think I was dozing off a little.” He adds scratching his neck. Renjun doesn't look less worried.

“We can take a break, you know?” Renjun offers but the other shakes his head in response.

“No, it’s okay. Let’s just continue… you were saying?” Renjun hums looking for where he was.

“Yeah, emotional connections are of almost primary nature to beings under the same celestial force as they heal each other in more ways than you can study or imagine. However, there are special cases when different beings can, too, help in each other’s healing, though those are almost like one in a million.” Renjun pauses to see if Donghyuck is still paying attention, “You follow?” 

“Yes, yes. I think.” Donghyuck looks down at his notebook with his scribbling notes “Sun-kind are known for healing physical pain, whereas Moon-kind work better in the emotional and psychological field. There’s always the exception to the rule, obviously, as skills can be taught and both of the celestial beings in study here are of twin-like nature so they allow you to venture through aspects that might not be very common to a certain kind…”

“But moon magic is much harder to learn as it takes us to ancient times where Lady Artemis often hid stuff from her brother Apollo.” Renjun adds, taking the younger boy by surprise. “What?!” 

“Nothing. Mythology I love that.”

“Oh please, Donghyuck. You should know those are more than myths.” He waves him off and misses the way the boy’s face burns.

☽ 

It’s when the storm season comes that Donghyuck feels the worst. His head is pounding and he hasn’t seen the sun in days.

He feels like hammering his head open, in whichever way it helps him feel better, just feel less hurt, just feel _less._

His meetings with Renjun have not stopped, in fact they have only grown in quantity. They have been talking everyday and they have been studying like always, sharing common interests and learning about each other through the most trivial of things. Donghyuck doesn’t stop them, maybe he should, he _knows_ he should because he pushes himself further and further closer to the edge with every “date” and he can only think back to Mark. Mark and Renjun. Are they better? Is Donghyuck meddling where he should not? 

Jaemin has assured him he can only answer for his wrongs and nobody else’s, but then why does he still feel like he’s doing something bad every time he smiles at Renjun or worries if he's doing alright? Or just wants to be there with him and for him every step of the way? Maybe as a friend, that’s okay for him. He never really asked for more. 

His head is killing him. Daydreaming late at night about Renjun is killing him.

His head is filled with thoughts about his friend. Kissing him. How would that feel? Caressing his face and watching his cheeks grow crimson in his hold. He can almost hear Renjun’s giggle and his warm chuckle. He can see the boy presenting him with a nose scrunch that Donghyuck would kiss away and Renjun would laugh again and try to shove Donghyuck off. 

Donghyuck would lay on top of him and leave thousands of pepper kisses in every inch of the boy’s face. 

Donghyuck thinks about holding his hand, bringing it to his lips as he kisses it in the campus hallways; kissing ten times his special hand mole, making him grow pink in his cheeks and the tip of his ears. Renjun would sputter not so nice words to him because he’s making a mess out of _him_ , in public! 

Donghyuck hurts a lot. 

He thinks about the full moon nights in which he doesn’t have to study so he can mingle at his boyfriend’s side and watch him bathe in Lady Artemis’ magic. 

Calling Renjun ‘boyfriend’ even in his head stings. He tells himself never to do that again. His headache grows in intensity the more he thinks about all of these moments he could have with Renjun. The keyword is _could_ , but he won’t have them and that’s okay.

No going to the lake with him, no seeing the stars with him, no watching the moonlight, energy that is so vital for Renjun, with him as he shines like the first night Donghyuck saw him under its spell so many months ago, that infamous night where the universe struck them or at least Donghyuck, with the blessing (or curse) of a complete soulmate tattoo.

But he just hurts.

Sitting down in his bed, ripping his soul piece by piece, his tears fall down and hit his pillow.

He curses the light coming from the window, the moon, almost mocking him for longing for someone he cannot have. He curses his heart for tripping him into the situation. He cries. 

He wonders. 

And he curses himself again, for being so high and mighty when he told Chenle to not follow after a _moonie_ , that he would only hurt himself in the end. Isn’t that ironic? Judging where he’s at right now…

He chuckles. It is kind of ironic. Sounds exactly like something that would happen to him. 

Silly Donghyuck, clumsy with everything, even his words. Advice he gives so easily but has so much trouble following. 

“How could I know?” Donghyuck feels the tears crawl down his face, kissing his jaw as they fall to the floor, having shifted his position so he wouldn’t fall asleep in a soaked pillow. 

If he only could sleep. 

He curses himself for still wondering if he has any kind of chance, for hoping maybe things will come around, maybe Renjun will confess to him and he’ll blink in confusion as if he’s dreaming and Renjun doesn’t sit in front of him telling him about his feelings. Renjun will tell him how it’s always been easy for them, how it was always comfortable and how Donghyuck helped Renjun feel better countless of times and Donghyuck will panic just a little in his head because he cannot process any of it; How he wants to hold Renjun close and kiss him silly before coming back to his senses and kiss his small nose, softly pulling a strand of hair behind his ear and tell him he’s pure light.

Donghyuck presses his fingers down on the sides of his forehead, as if that could stop his headache or make him forget the last two hours he spent thinking, overthinking and letting silent tears fall down his face. 

He plugs his earbuds in, tapping on a song at random, hoping to soothe his headache and fall back asleep. 

_How could I know … One day I'd wake up feeling more …_

Donghyuck’s eye twitches as the soothing tone the vocalist uses calms his breathing but also breaks his heart as the song continues. He cannot take it any longer, his heart hurts too much. 

_Guess we were ships in the night / Night, night_

He unplugs his phone and turns it off. It’s a silent and painful night.

Donghyuck skips uni the next day. His phone remains off and he tries, he tries his best to stay away from everything. 

☼ 

“Are you avoiding Renjun?” Jaemin asks at dinner. Jeno, who sits next to him directs his gaze to Donghyuck, patiently waiting for what the boy has to say.

“Maybe.” Donghyuck replies before he grabs a mouthful, avoiding conversation. Jaemin gives him a look of disapproval.

“Are you, maybe, even if only a little bit, aware of the severe pain you can put yourself through if you avoid your soulmate—”

“He’s not my soulmate.” Donghyuck manages to say after he harshly swallows his food.

“Donghyuck.” Jeno says.

“He’s literally not, Jeno.” He presses. “I’ve never even seen his mark, and even if it’s complete it’s probably Mark’s match, not mine.” 

“Oh my Gods!” Jaemin groans, standing up. Jeno blinks in confusion but then shakes his head at Donghyuck and follows after his boyfriend.

Donghyuck sits there, alone. It’s his fault for being thick headed but he really cannot find it in himself to feel bad.

He knows he’s overreacting, he knows that with communication everything gets solved one way or another. One way that’ll hurt like hell, if his worries are confirmed. But at least he’ll know and he’ll be able to heal and move on. 

He’s avoiding Renjun right now but he’s also doing it because he can’t stand to confess and face the consequences; possibly never being able to be around Renjun the same way he has until then, and even if Renjun forgives him for falling and cultivating his feeling as if Renjun didn’t have a soulmate of his own, he’ll never be able to talk to Renjun how he does in the present. 

He’s scared of the change that is bound to happen.

Donghyuck drags his pitiful self to the corner of the canteen as he drops his food tray in its rightful place and walks in the direction of the doors. He heightens his options: go back to his room and be depressed: Jaemin and Jeno are probably there; or go to the library for the first time in fifteen days and risk finding Renjun there… 

Trying to avoid Jaemin who’s probably rightfully mad at him he chooses the second option and heads towards the library. 

☽ 

Donghyuck finds the library eerily empty as he walks in but then he remembers that it’s almost holiday season so most studying has been done, that added to the fact that it’s close to the full moon and knowing that a greater part of the student body are moon-kind, it just makes complete sense. 

He walks to the familiar desk near the healing magic section, or for short the desk he and Renjun are used to occupy.

He refrains his surprise when he finds the dark piece of furniture void of users. 

_Why would Renjun be there when the moon shines so bright outside…._ Donghyuck hears the thought almost too loud in his head and it almost hurts. 

_Why would Renjun even hang around waiting for you when you’ve left him without an answer for half a month?_ Donghyuck winces at that one though.

He sighs as he falls onto his usual chair in the library, he grabs his phone and starts typing something. A text. Maybe for a certain moon boy… but he slides between the apps and ends up deleting the message. 

He sees that song again once he stops on his preferred music app, the song he played the other night, a few weeks ago. He plays it again in his earbuds and follows with getting his things off his bag.

Exams are over and his essays are all ready to be submitted (What? He had to focus on something to get his brain off his _thoughts._ ) so this time he’s just going to doodle something on his ipad and try to listen to the song until the end. 

He starts with a doodle of the sun because as corny as it may sound, it has always brought him comfort and he thinks he deserves that a little bit, and the song keeps playing in the background. 

But the comfort is faint as the soothing tone of the singer’s voice collides with the way the lyrics make Donghyuck’s chest hurt.

_I'm wondering / Are you my best friend? / Feel's like a river's rushing through my mind_

Those words ring in his ears as the song continues. Donghyuck has too much in his head and the pain in his chest hurts so much that he almost considers calling Jaemin to relieve him of the pain but then he remembers the boy is probably still upset with him, and he’s right for that too.

Donghyuck pauses the song and tries to control the way the soulmate bond is taking control of his whole being. He breathes slowly and when he thinks he can handle the pain he grabs his water bottle and drinks a little bit to make himself calm again.

But. Now. Now he has the hiccups.

“G-Great.” He tells himself not fond of the situation but then next second he’s giggling because he got the _goddamn_ hiccups and it’s those hiccups that are stopping him from mopping some more.

And it’s then as he laughs despite himself that he looks around and his eyes fall on someone else’s, someone he has not been able to stop thinking about yet someone he has been religiously avoiding. 

Renjun. 

The other boy smiles and gives Donghyuck a small wave. A silent greeting. 

Donghyuck wonders if the storm inside his head and the hurt in his chest (and the hiccups!) passed because of this boy, who might just hold his other half of a soul, just happened to be around the corner. 

“Hey,” Donghyuck says, a bit sheepish, not knowing how to address the boy after the time they were apart; feeling like he may just say the wrong thing and Renjun might just storm out like Jaemin did earlier. 

“Hey you.” Renjun says, a little too sweet for what the _sunnie_ was expecting. “You still look awful, how have you been?” 

“Once again, woah thanks.” Donghyuck finds himself chuckling though; his chest feeling better by the second.. “How are you, Renjun?”

“You’re avoiding my question, just like you avoided me, mister!” Renjun points at him with a bubbly tone to his voice and Donghyuck cannot help but stare at him. Oh him and his warmth. 

“It’s been some hard couple of weeks, I’m sorry…” Donghyuck says with honesty. 

Renjun hums in acknowledgement. He understands. 

Renjun is used to all kinds of worries, insecurities and even anxiety as he has dealt with several of them as he tried to aid his “brothers”, the moon folk.

Donghyuck doesn’t know yet but Renjun is very skillful in his healing magic and he has been working very hard to learn how to heal those who are of a different kind. He has been to the library countless times now and even took books outside so he can harvest the energy from the moon but also read and study the science that is yet so behind on how their healing actually works. Renjun will get there one day though. He’s more than capable, plus Mark and some of the other _moonies_ are more than glad to help him even though he’d rather work alone.

Donghyuck smiles at him, nods and checks the time on his phone, lighting up the screen which also shows his music paused.

Renjun peaks at it. “What were you listening to?” He says as he grabs an earbud before Donghyuck can say no.

“I, uh… just something melancholic…” He answers, scratching the back of his neck in worry.

“Play it for me, please?” Renjun smiles before a pout takes over his lips and how in the world can Donghyuck say no to that?! He sighs and hits play. 

They listen in silence as the song continues from where it had been paused.

_**I wanna ask you … If this is all just in my head** _

Donghyuck’s body reacts to the words as he feels his skin grow with goosebumps.

_**My heart is pounding tonight / I wonder** _

Donghyuck has exhausted his brain more than he should have had…and now as he watches Renjun’s expression change, just as he too understands the words, Donghyuck’s heart hurts with nerves once more. He wonders when is it just gonna give out.

_**If you / Are too good to be true?** _

Donghyuck watches Renjun hide his face as a soft blush finds its way to his cheeks as he laughs. His dusted pink cheeks are easily noticeable just under the orange light hanging above their table. 

He’s precious, almost like fairy dust. If fairy dust actually existed in their world, Donghyuck would find great joy in watching Renjun giggle while he dropped a couple of teaspoons above his hair. It would probably tickle his nose and make him sneeze. Donghyuck can just _see_ how adorably cute that scene would be to watch. And in the end he would hold the boy close to his chest and ruffle his hair to get rid of most of it. Basically making a mess of wherever they were in…and Renjun would giggle and rub his hair on Donghyuck’s chest, filling him with the same golden dust. 

He smiles at Renjun. A fond smile that quietly finds his way to Donghyuck’s expression before he can do anything to stop it. 

_**And would it be alright if I pulled you closer?** _

Donghyuck is so very surprised when Renjun’s eyes fill up with tears, he nods repeatedly as he closes his eyes, making the tears spill from the corner of his eyes.

Renjun’s smile never wavers, but it’s the timing of everything that hurts Donghyuck the most.

Renjun nodded as the singer finished saying those words and then the song continued with humming and a soft melody - something that comforts Donghyuck for the first time during the whole song. 

The song ends with whistling and soft humming and Donghyuck could cry from how warm he feels. It hits him then that Renjun was really just there with him feeling through the song and when Donghyuck never let his eyes wander away from Renjun, the boy took it in him to add his own answers to the song.

Renjun sniffles. “That was beautiful, oh my god, I’m just—” But he stops as Donghyuck gets up and walks to him.

He pulls him from his sitting position to stand, bringing Renjun’s head to his chest.

Renjun hits him softly. “What are you doing, dummy?!” 

“Would it be okay if I pulled you closer?” Donghyuck sings the line from the song, looking down softly at Renjun, and then he blushes red because he literally just sang to him.

“Closer than This?” Renjun smirks but then lets out the giggle that Donghyuck loves.

Donghyuck squeezes him closer but then lets him go, except Renjun wraps his arms around his torso and snuggles close to him. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” Renjun says.

“Are you kidding? I was the one at fault, b-baba.” 

“Okay, but still…” Renjun begins. “I’m sorry if I gave you mixed signals…”

Oh here we go. 

_He doesn’t like you Donghyuck._ His mind kindly delivers, but Donghyuck shakes his head and only listens to Renjun’s voice. 

“Me and Mark…” He pauses and Donghyuck’s breath hitches in his throat.“We are not together…” He looks into his eyes “We never were...”

Donghyuck feels a cold shiver run through his body. “I—I, of course I knew that…” He tried to play it cool, but when Renjun gives him a ‘seriously?’ look he crumbles “I totally didn’t know that and it was killing me…” He spits, laughing under his breath.

“Yeah, I could tell.” Renjun says. He giggles then and _oh_ , Donghyuck feels the butterflies holding little torches inside his stomach, burning him slowly. 

He kisses Renjun’s forehead and closes his eyes as he breathes in the boy’s scent. Donghyuck feels the world lift off of his shoulders and suddenly he can breathe again. 

“Hey.” Renjun calls out to him, nosing on his jaw. “Are you trying to make me cry again?” 

“You have no idea how much I dreamt of this moment.” Donghyuck smiles, his eyes closed “And I felt like _shit_! Because I thought you were with Mark…” He adds, groaning lightly. Renjun chuckles.

“You are literally so silly…I want to kiss you.” Donghyuck turns so red he hides in Renjun’s neck, taking the risk to kiss there as well. “ _Hyuuuck_...we are in a public place…” Renjun slightly yelps when the boy nibbles the skin in his neck. 

Donghyuck hums and lets go of the smaller boy. “Now what,” He asks, sitting back down and looking up at the boy who still stands. Renjun extends his hand for him to take.

“Come moongaze with me.” 

“Moon harvesting? With the other _moonies_?” He asks. Renjun nods, smiling encouragingly. Donghyuck presents him a slightly grumpy pout to go with his furrowed eyebrows. 

“Cmooooon, you have to meet Mark!” Renjun tries to convince him “And I'm sure you know Jisung?” He caves in just for Renjun’s smile. “You’re the best!” 

“I know,” Donghyuck says, a hint of a smirk in his lips as he’s dragged out of the library by his almost-soulmate. 

☽ 

Donghyuck finds himself far beyond the campus grounds and on the top of a hillside, he looks around feeling like he’s in a whole different dimension. He literally doesn’t even know where he is anymore.

The flowers around him are similar to small lamps, shining softly in pearl white, and the breeze… it’s caressing his arms comfortably. 

He was expecting to feel out of place at the top of this hill, filled with Moonlight magic, but he doesn’t. He feels at peace, Renjun’s hand in his.

“You know, this was where I spent my first night as a moon harvester, I was scared then because I didn’t know how anything worked…” He spoke kindly. “But Mark led the way, so it was okay.” Renjun squeezed his hand. “Follow me.”

And Donghyuck did. He was so ecstatic that his feelings were now validated that he thought he could follow Renjun anywhere. 

They turn around a big bush and walk past a tree filled to the brim with fireflies and it’s then, after Donghyuck manages to look away from the small sparkly bugs, that he sees a small bonfire hanging mid air near an assembly of pearl white rocks piled up in a way that forms an altar. 

“This is where you’ll come to ask for the Goddess’ blessing when you want to ask for my hand.” Renjun chuckles, picking on Donghyuck. The poor boy only chokes for a second before he shoves him off playfully and pulls him right back by his hand.

“Very Funny.” He states with a blank face. Renjun shows him his tongue.

“Let’s go.” 

Donghyuck follows Renjun until they start hearing voices and laughter, and soon enough they find themselves in a clearing where a group of kids all sit together and wave at Renjun, some of them even snickering at the way the boys are holding hands. 

“Look, there’s Mark!” Renjun points.

Donghyuck zones in on the boy. _That’s Mark alright…_ He thinks to himself, but let’s himself relax as they walk towards him. 

“Renjunie!” Mark greets him patting down the spot next to him. “And… Donghyuck?” He asks. 

“That’s me.” Donghyuck says, feeling a little out of place now, in contrast to earlier. 

“Dude!” Mark changes completely the way his voice sounds and surprisingly enough that makes the outsider feel way less awkward. “Oh dude! You’re gonna love it tonight. Besides the fact that the moon is super beautiful, Junie here…” Mark taps Renjun’s shoulder who already sat next to him. “He wouldn’t stop talking about you…” He pauses, looking at Renjun who furrows his brows at the older _moonie_ . “I think he has a crush on you.” Mark says, covering his mouth and speaking in a hushed tone, like Renjun is not _right_ there _._

“Oh really?” Donghyuck raises his eyebrow as he indulges in Mark’s tell tale, sitting down to hear the rest. 

“Oh god yes! What was it?” He pauses to ask Renjun who shakes his head at him trying to look intimidating. “Four months? I think Four months, four _long_ months!” Mark continues. “Dude, you have no idea!” 

Donghyuck finds Mark fun after all. He’s bubbly and his friendship with Renjun reminds him of Jaemin’s and his. Oh, Jaemin… He has to text him to apologise about their ruined dinner… 

He checks his phone but it says no coverage, so he makes a mental note to call later.

“Where did Mark go?” Donghyuck asks as he moves closer to Renjun on the grass. “Heeeey.” He nudges him when he gets no answer. Renjun looks at him with a pout in his lips. 

“Do you like me?” Renjun asks. 

“What are you on about…” Donghyuck doesn’t know what’s suddenly so wrong for Renjun to be self doubting himself. “Of course I like you.” 

Donghyuck presses his cheek to the side of Renjun’s head, taking his hands to the hair falling on Renjun’s neck. “I adore you.” 

“Okay.” Renjun says, smiling and laying his head halfway on the boy’s chest. “Mark is sooooo loud.” He huffs, the sudden wave of insecurity fading into thin air. 

“I was afraid he got you all weird out.” Renjun says, eyeing Mark as the older boy laughs along with Jisung and Chenle who sit a couple of meters away, giving them all the space they could need.

“No worries, Mark seems fun.” 

“You’re so cute.” Renjun changes topics like he didn’t listen to a word the other said, and maybe he didn’t, lost in Donghyuck’s beauty.

“Hey, that’s enough.” Donghyuck pokes his nose. “Let’s get going with what you came here to do.” Donghyuck says, his smile fond “Surprise me, moonboy.” He encourages him once he sees Renjun close his eyes and start to glow slightly. 

Just like on the night Donghyuck stumbled upon him on the route to his house, the night where his soulmark changed, Renjun glows in front of his eyes and to the _sunnie_ he never looked prettier.

Renjun opens his eyes after a deep breath and they slowly lower in intensity but that doesn’t make him look any less threatening. 

He raises himself as his knees hold him to Donghyuck’s size, and captures his face in his hand, kissing him then and there.

Donghyuck gasps as he feels the magic on Renjun’s body travel to his own; he cannot deny the anxious feeling at the bottom of his stomach and the fact that his body is of sun nature but now is being exposed to a different kind of magic. That scares him.

Renjun bites his lower lip, “Don’t worry, my magic cannot hurt you.” He whispers against his lips. “Unless I want it to.” Donghyuck rubs his nose on his.

“Be good to me.” He says. 

Renjun blushes a soft pink at that but it only lasts a few seconds before it disappears as he channels the moonlight and flashes his white eyes teasingly. He blinks again and his eyes go back to normal.

He kisses Donghyuck again, holding onto his neck he kisses him open mouthed to what the other boy responds just as fast, his worries long gone and now replaced with a sense of trust. 

They hear Mark whistle at them from the other side of the clearing but they don’t pay him any attention. 

Donghyuck moves them around and presses Renjun to the ground, hovering over him and placing one leg in between Renjun’s thighs as he licks into his mouth and feels one or two small electrical shocks as the moonboy loses himself for a millisecond. 

“Be safe over there!” Chenle yells, followed by a new laughter that Donghyuck assumes is Jisung.

Renjun places a hand to Donghyuck’s chest pulling them apart. He tries to catch his breath, as he takes a look at Donghyuck. His lips tinted red, and his cheeks a match to it.

“I have something to show you.” Renjun says, looking up at him. Donghyuck takes his hand off of his chest and gives Renjun a quick peck.

“Show me, baby.” Donghyuck smiles, placing Renjun’s hand back on his chest.

Renjun can only smile in awe. He thinks he’s never seen such a beautiful constellation in front of his eyes and he’s seen a lot of them, but no one comes close to Lee Donghyuck’s eyes and dotted cheek.

“Baby,” Donghyuck calls, squeezing his side. “What do you have to show me?” 

Renjun snaps out of his daze, blinking. He smiles and slowly lifts up his sweater showing the soulmark on the side of his abdomen. 

Donghyuck’s voice is caught up in his throat as he recognises the familiar pattern. 

“Donghyuck?” Renjun asks in confusion as he pulls his sweater right back down and sits up after he watches Donghyuck pull away from him and sit himself down in silence. “Baby, talk to me? What’s wrong? You’re scaring me.” 

“No-nothing.” Donghyuck sniffles and rubs his nose. He kisses a confused Renjun who closes his eyes and hums into his lips. “We are a match, and I’m… just feeling a lot.” 

He kisses Renjun’s head and pulls back to get his arm out of his sleeve, proceeding then to show Renjun his own soulmark on his shoulder. 

Renjun feels his eyes water but wills the tears away and he practically jumps on Donghyuck’s lap pressing the boy to the ground just like he did to him earlier. 

“You’re mine.” Renjun says, enjoying way too much the look he receives when he flashes his other eyes. 

“All yours.” Donghyuck feels his chest tight, but this time he knows it’s out of love. “But, really,” He says, changing to a serious tone, “You’ve got to stop with the flaming white eyes, that’s … freaky.”

“Can’t promise anything, baby.” He winks, grabbing the boy’s lip between his teeth, pulling on it and letting it fall back in place. “Get used to it.” 

Donghyuck lets out a warm laugh. “I cannot wait to experience summer with you.” 

“Me either, sunshine.”

☼ 

Donghyuck wakes up feeling warmer than he’s ever been before. The sun is shining beautifully into his room and he feels like he slept for an eternity and was reborn into a new person, that’s how rested he feels.

Wait… this is not his bedroom.

Donghyuck looks around until his gaze falls onto his side and he suddenly understands the numbing he feels in his arm. There’s a sleeping beauty voiding him of the blood circulation in his left arm. He doesn’t really mind it though. 

_What’s the worst that can happen? Losing the arm? Worth it, as long as Renjun gets to keep sleeping in his arms._

Donghyuck swallows his laughter really not wanting to wake up the sleeping boy.

He can tell anyone who’s willing to listen that in half a year he managed to learn more about himself, about life and about relationships than he has in his entire life. He wouldn’t change anything that happened though, he needed to go through that so he could indeed learn. He’ll accept everything as part of his journey, even the deep wounds, those will heal and he’ll keep learning and fall on his face several more times too.

He was so wrong about the moon-kin. They are sweet and they welcomed him into their space of prayer and allowed him to sit next to his new recognised soulmate. 

He feels so full of pride, towards himself, towards his friends, towards Renjun… And almost as if on call, said boy stirs in bed.

“Hey,” The sleepy boy changes position and Donghyuck gets the feeling back in his arm. He uses his other arm to caress Renjun’s cheek. 

“How are you baby?” 

“Just woke up, silly.” Renjun says. “I don’t know how I feel.” Donghyuck hums. 

“But I know one thing.” 

“What is it?” Donghyuck indulges him.

“We are gonna be so happy.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “Are you always this corny in the mornings?”

“I mean it!!” Donghyuck hums in response, caressing under his eye.

“I really like you....please don’t ever leave my side.”

“I won’t.” 

Oh Donghyuck has never felt like this. All warm and sweet and _nice_. Is this how it feels to be head over heels for someone? Because he could get used to it.

He squeezes Renjun closer to his chest and lets himself fall asleep once more, his soulmate in his arms and a comfy flame in his stomach.

**Author's Note:**

> !!! I'm so sorry Donghyuck, but hey! look at that ending<3 ily
> 
> > come say hi (or yell at me) on [twitter](https://twitter.com/66haech) :]


End file.
